Trikke Test Drive – Part 1 – T78 vs. T8 vs. T12

When I bought my Trikke T78 Deluxe earlier this year, I had done a lot of online research, watched a lot of YouTube videos, and snagged a great deal on eBay.  Yet I was left wondering if I had truly gotten the right Trikke for me.  I would never buy a new car, motorcycle or bicycle without test driving it, yet here I was buying a strange new fitness machine that I had never tried out firsthand.

All things considered, I got lucky.  My T78 arrived in great condition, and was ready to ride after I corrected some minor assembly issues.  It fits me well, and I enjoy riding it, but I still often ask myself if I bought the “right Trikke”.

Thanks to my friends at Trikke Virginia (http://www.trikkepro.com), I was recently able to find out.  We took my T78 to a parking lot near the Manassas, VA airport, along with a brand new T8 Sport, T12 Roadster and Pon-E 48V.  The Pon-E will be the subject of a separate article, as for now I just want to compare the fitness models.

My T78 Deluxe (green) is based on a steel frame, weighing in at 24 pounds.  It rides on 3 air tires, and has better handgrips and handlebars than the T78 Air model.  I have upgraded mine with a water bottle holder and parking brake levers, although it still has the standard scrub brakes over the rear tires.  This is the Trikke I learned to ride on, and is my starting point for comparisons.

The T8 Sport (red) is close in size to the T78, measuring 2.0” longer and 2.4” wider at the rear wheels.  The T8’s handlebars are 0.9” wider than the T78’s, and have nicer bicycle-like hand grips.  The biggest advantage of the T8 is its aluminum frame and disk brakes.  Parking brake levers come standard on the T8, as does a water bottle holder.  The paint job on the T8 is high quality, with its graphics clear-coated instead of being stickers like the T78’s that will inevitably peel later.  It also has nicer foot decks and small plastic fenders.

I have been told by several people that the ride is very similar to the T78’s, but I felt more difference between the two than I expected.  Although Trikke says the T8 weighs 27 pounds, it actually felt lighter than my T78.  Getting it going from a dead stop was surprisingly easy, and I found it to be very nimble and responsive.  Whether maneuvering around the parking lot, or going up the steady incline of the access road, I felt really at one with the T8.  I switched back and forth a few times between it and my T78, and could really feel the difference in the T8’s width, and the extra carving power it gave me.

The T8’s disk brakes are very crisp and responsive.  The scrub brakes on my T78 are the only thing I don’t like about it, especially on the hillier trails of the Lehigh Valley.  This is my main reasons for considering an upgrade to another Trikke.  Despite recent weight loss, I still weigh over 200 pounds, and I sometimes wonder if my T78 is going to stop when I ask it to.  On the other hand, the T8 had no hesitation about bringing me quickly to a halt when needed.

The T12 Roadster has become immensely popular, and sometimes you get the impression it is the only Trikke that serious riders would consider.  For a modest price increase of just $100 more than the T8, it’s easier to fall into the “bigger is better” mindset when considering which one to purchase.  With that in mind, I had gone into this test drive session pretty well convinced I would decide the T12 would be my next Trikke.

The T12 (graphite) features the same upgrades as the T8: aluminum frame, disk brakes, parking brake levers, hand grips with bar extensions, a water bottle holder, upgraded foot decks, plastic fenders, and high-quality paint job.  It is the giant of the Trikke world though, weighing in at 31 pounds.  It is 7.8” longer than the T8, 2.2” wider at the rear wheels, and 0.6” wider at the handle bars.

It takes more effort to step up onto the foot decks which ride atop 12” wheels.  Getting this Trikke to go from a dead stop took considerably more effort than the T78 or T8, and I felt fairly unsteady with it during tight maneuvers at slower speeds.  I could feel its heavier weight and occasionally felt like I was fighting with its handlebars.  Once I got it up to cruising speed though, it felt better.  In fact, it was easier to maintain my momentum on the T12 than on the smaller Trikkes.

If I was going to cruise consistently on flat terrain with rare interruptions, I think I would be happy with the T12.  But the reality is I do a lot more stop-and-go, climbing and tight maneuvering than that on a typical ride.   With that in mind, the T8 is without a doubt the right Trikke for me.  This is not the outcome I expected, and it proves why a test drive is so valuable.

Everyone is different in terms of height, weight, proportions, fitness level and riding skill.  This is going to translate into the “right Trikke” being different for everyone.  You have to remember that I’m only 5’-4” tall with stubby arms and legs, riding at an intermediate skill level.  The T12 is a fine vehicle, but I never felt at one with it like I did the T8.  The T8 simply is the right fit for my body size and riding style.  Taller riders would likely feel that way about the T12, but the only way to know for sure is to try them both out before deciding which to purchase.

I now have the task of figuring out how to save up for the T8, because there is no doubt in my mind that I want one.  Not only does it ride better than the T78, but I feel strongly about wanting disk brakes in light of my weight, riding speed and the nature of the trails I am riding on.  I think the hardest part of the decision though, will be selecting the color.  The T8 comes in blue, red and silver, all of which look fantastic.  Decisions, decisions . . . .

I am very grateful to Beth and Preston at Trikke Virginia for allowing me the chance to compare these carving vehicles side-by-side.  If you are in the market for a new Trikke, please contact myself or Trikke Virginia and we will be happy to help you choose the carving vehicle that's right for you.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of my Trikke TestDrive series, where I will review the Trikke Pon-E 48V.

Upcoming LSM Ride – September 29, 2012

Trikkers around the world have embraced the tradition of the Last Saturday of the Month (LSM) ride.  I have set up a ride for the last Saturday in September in conjunction with the Trikke Riders of Pennsylvania:

http://www.meetup.com/TrikkePA/events/82743822/

Although this ride is south of the Lehigh Valley, I thought it best to join forces with an established riding group.  The Pottstown section of the Schuykill River Trail, known as the Thun Trail, has a smoothly paved surface, which is mostly flat.  There are a few small hills on the eastern part of the ride, but they are easily ridden or walked up.  Our ride will start at the Montgomery County Community College parking lot, and travel west to Grosstown Road and back.  This will be approximately 6 miles round trip.  The trail turns to gravel just west of the Grosstown Road parking lot, so we will not be able to go any further.

I hope you will consider joining us for this fun ride in what will hopefully be some fresh autumn weather.  Riders of all skill levels are welcome, as the trail is well suited towards everyone.  If you are not a member of the MeetUp group, I would highly recommend joining.  If you decide not to, you can also RSVP via the comment option here.  I would like to know who’s coming so I make sure we don’t leave anyone behind.

My plans at the moment are to host LSM rides for the remainder of the year in the Delaware Valley area where most of the Trikke Riders of Pennsylvania live.  September and October’s rides are already scheduled, and I will be announcing November’s and December’s soon.   I have decided to wait until next spring to start the new Lehigh Valley group, because starting it now would not give it enough chance to grow before the winter “break”.  If you’re in the Lehigh Valley, I hope you will consider joining the Trikke Riders of Pennsylvania in the meantime.

T.G.I.F. = Trikke Gal’s Intense Friday

Since I bought my Trikke, my life has been reduced to two basic types of moments; the times I’m riding my Trikke, and the times I’m thinking about riding my Trikke.  But sometimes those thoughts of riding lead to frustration, as the demands of life eat into my time for riding.

Today began as one of those days.  Although my day at the office was calm and productive, as it drew to a close I began to stress about the overbearing to-do list for the weekend ahead.  Now what’s wrong with that picture?  How did I go from TGIF to dreading the weekend?

Luckily my Trikke staged an intervention, as it insisted I finally explore the northern part of the Schuykill River Trail despite the mounting pressures elsewhere.  The cool evening air and nearly empty trail became my sea of tranquility.  The traffic on the nearby highway softened to a dull drone, while the cricket chirps from the bushes began cheering me on.  With my warmed up muscles, I felt fluid and one with the Trikke.  I carved my beloved little green and black T78 down the black ribbon of asphalt that divided a thicket of green trees and bushes.

The flat and smooth trail encouraged me to practice some of the riding lessons I had recently learned at the Trikke Academy.  I practiced “walking the Trikke” and standing on my tiptoes to get more leverage with each carve.  As always, my Trikke responded to each subtle input, but tonight the response turned into a more than subtle surge of forward momentum.

I celebrated the moment knowing I had found the “next gear”, and had overcome one of my ongoing riding challenges.  For the first time, I was sustaining more power from my legs than from my arms.  I felt the cool breeze caress my cheeks as I carved faster, and my mind shifted to living in this wondrous moment.  Gone were the pressures of work, school and personal matters.  What happened before and what is yet to come simply dissolved into the ether.

Although I never actually wrote “explore Schuykill River Trail” and “ride Trikke better by getting more power from my legs” on this weekend’s to-do list, my whole outlook on the next few days has improved by beginning my weekend by checking off this success.  Whatever your weekend plans are, be sure to carve out some quality time with your Trikke.  You never know when it’s going to put you on the path to a better state of mind.

Carvé diem!

Upcoming LSM Ride - October 27, 2012

Trikkers around the world have embraced the tradition of the Last Saturday of the Month (LSM) ride.  I have set up a ride for the last Saturday in October in conjunction with the Trikke Riders of Pennsylvania:

http://www.meetup.com/TrikkePA/events/80427282/

Although this ride is south of the Lehigh Valley, I thought it best to join forces with an established riding group.  Warminster Community Park is unique and enjoyable, as it features a former Willow Grove Air Base runway for anyone to enjoy.  You can carve to your heart’s content without worries about blocking fellow riders.  There is also a network of traditional trails to explore around the perimeter of the park, as well as across the street at Northampton Municipal Park.

I hope you will consider joining us for this fun ride in what will hopefully be some fresh autumn weather.  Riders of all skill levels are welcome, as the park is well suited towards everyone.  If you are not a member of the MeetUp group, I would highly recommend joining.  If you decide not to, you can also RSVP via the comment option here.  I would like to know who’s coming so I make sure we don’t leave anyone behind.

Please note that I also am looking to host a September ride in the Lehigh Valley.  I am in the process of picking a location, and I also promised some fellow riders that I wouldn’t plan a rival event on the same date that they are making plans.  I hope to do a literal LSM ride, but if not, expect it to be towards the end of the month.  Once I firm up plans, I will announce the details here and on MeetUp.

Fit by 40: Another Woman's Inspiring Journey

I always say age is just a number, and you are only as old as you feel.  I have always been young at heart, and have accepted the passing of each year gracefully.  Something about turning 40 earlier this year was a bit tough though, as I took stock of my life and realized in many areas I simply was not where I expected to be by middle age.

One of those issues was my ballooning weight and declining fitness.  I have been overweight for most of my adult life due to my preference for sedentary jobs and hobbies.   Last year this time, this really didn’t bother me.  I certainly had heard all the facts and statistics that were supposed to scare me into eating better and getting fit, but I totally accepted who I was and how I looked.  Losing weight was something to do “later”, “when I was ready”, “when I had the time” . . .  I can easily conjure up dozens of such excuses.

There was something about turning 40 that changed me, and it happened rather quickly.  To this day, I can’t quite put a finger on it, but I went from not really caring one day to waking up with the sudden urgency telling me that I had to do something.  I just knew I had to change my ways before it was too late.  I had been feeling increasingly tired, sluggish, and physically incapable of doing some things that I never used to give a second though to.  Buying clothes that fit was had become a real challenge, as did fitting into some restaurant tables and amusement park rides.  I did miss being outside and enjoying fresh air and sunshine.  I was sick of that nagging voice that filled me with guilt every time I savored an ice cream sundae or a bowl of cheese-covered nachos.  Once I listened to my inner voice, there really were 1,000 compelling reasons to change, and they all came screaming in my face at once.

Because I reached this turning point, an article I found while browsing the news last night really jumped out at me.  It is titled “Why You Should Really ‘Get Fit by 40’”, and it describes the fitness journey of 39-year old Michelle Jackson.  http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/31/health/fitness-before-forty-weight-loss/index.html?iref=allsearch

Michelle’s story is one that most of us middle-aged women can relate to:  a sedentary job, too many demands on our time, a lack of interest in sports, and the dread of being embarrassed at the gym.  Michelle goes on to explain that at the age of 40, our hormones start to turn against us and muscle loss accelerates.  Beyond this age, weight loss becomes increasingly difficult.  This encouraged her to take charge of her life at the age of 38 in hopes of being fit before her 40^th birthday.  Although she may fall slightly short of that goal, she has already lost an impressive 100 pounds and has reaped other rewards; she stopped storing, has decreased knee pain and has gotten off of her asthma and acid reflux medications.

As I read Michelle’s story, I began to realize it may have been my women’s intuition that kicked in at 40, as it felt my body’s changes beginning.  I do wish I had been aware of this pending change sooner, as it may have kicked me into gear a few years earlier.  Still, it is never too late to change and I am glad that I have made fitness and health my priority this year.  In 6 months, I have lost 43 pounds and have more energy and enthusiasm than I’ve had since my early 20’s.  Like Michelle, I have added strength training to my routine and have learned about the rewards of building muscle.  Until recently I thought strength training was only for athletes and body builders, but I now realize that building muscle boosts your metabolism and helps you burn fat, even when you are enjoying a sedentary pursuit such as I am doing now as I write this.

I love reading success stories such as Michelle.  It helps me know that I am not alone in the challenges I face, and it motivates me to keep working towards my goals even when the going gets tough.  If Michelle is reading this, I wish her all the best in achieving her goals.  As for me, I about halfway to where I want to be, and if I maintain my current pace I will have a true cause to celebrate on my 41^st birthday.

If you find yourself nearing 40, you should really take stock of your situation and start taking action before it becomes significantly more difficult.  If you’re past that mark, take heart knowing it is never too late, as the right amount of determination can overcome any challenge.  If you have an inspiring story, please share it with us, as it helps everyone to know we are not fighting our battles alone.

The Heat is Off!

Not only has mother nature finally turned off the furnace in the Northeast, but the pressure cooker that life has put me in the past two weeks has started to decompress.  Last week I wrapped up two major things:  a project at work that had been ongoing for 10 months and a 6-credit summer class that had my head spinning for the past 6 weeks.  While I do start my fall class tomorrow, it should be at a much less dizzying pace.  When you factor in some home, car and dental issues, it’s amazing that I have been on my Trikke at all the past month in a half.

The good news is that during that spell I mapped out 3 more Lehigh Valley Trikke routes, and I will be writing up articles to share them over the next week.  I also had a great ride of over 8 miles doing laps at Rodale Fitness Park last Monday night.  This included 24 mild but sustained hill climbs, and I only ground to a halt on 3 of those climbs.  I have been stopping less often for breaks, which is something I also experienced doing a non-stop 15 mile bike ride the prior week.  This progress surprises me, because I have been doing very little outdoor exercise this summer because of the heat wave and my busy schedule.  I have fit in regular kettlebell workouts in this time though, and I firmly believe this cross-training effort deserves the credit for improving my riding.

My next goal is to plan LSM (Last Saturday of the Month) rides for both September and October.  I was recently added as an Organizer to the Trikke Riders of Pennsylvania Meetup Group (http://www.meetup.com/TrikkePA/), so I will be posting those rides there.  Because this is an established group, I will be holding the rides closer to the Delaware Valley instead of the Lehigh Valley.  I also plan to create a Lehigh Valley Meetup Group, and hope that members of each will occasionally go out of their home territory to ride with each other.  Although there are plenty of places to Trikke solo in the Lehigh Valley, it is proving more difficult to find a good spot here for group rides.  My leading contenders at the moment are Rodale Fitness Park and the paved Portion of the D&L Trail in Easton.

I’d like to thank all of you that have stuck with this blog during the past few weeks, and I’ll look forward to sharing more stuff with you during the coming week.

Rainy Day Fun

The Lehigh Valley is a great place to live, work and play, but it does come with its share of challenges.  For the past month we have been in the throes of a stifling heat wave, choking on the humid air every time we set foot outside our doors.  Our radar has been dotted with small but vicious storm cells nearly every day.  Meanwhile, my Trikke has sat parked in my garage, enjoying its own respite from the oppressive summer.

As certain as the Valley is to have summer heat waves like this, it is equally certain that we will eventually face long, harsh winters.  The snow, sleet, high winds and short days will force us to seek the warm sanctuary of the indoors.

While we can’t change the weather, we can change our attitudes about exercising during these tough days.  I am admittedly not the biggest fan of exercising overall, and if you look at the types I do enjoy (Trikking, biking, walking) you’ll notice a theme; I like outdoor exercises that “take me somewhere”.  The fresh air, the sunlight and the beautiful terrain of the Valley are as therapeutic for my mind as the actual exercise is for my body.  So what do I do on a day like today?  What do I do on a day when the heat index reached 101 degrees and the afternoon and evening featured several waves of thunderstorms?

In years past, I would have reached for a book or a video game controller without giving it a second thought.  But this year I have turned over a new leaf and made the decision to get fit and healthy.  So I have begun exercising indoors with the same regularity and zeal that I rode my Trikke and bike in the spring and early summer.  My exercise program of choice right now is the kettlebell.  These short but intense workouts can be done in a relatively small amount of space, and are varied enough to keep me interested.  I am also planning to learn yoga, which will be good for my mind as well as my body.

While I truly would have enjoyed playing a video game today, I have shifted my attitude in a way that encourages me to make the healthy choice to exercise instead.  How?  What have I told myself that has changed my point of view so radically?  It’s simple; I have made so much progress riding my Trikke and bike this year that I can’t bear the thought of losing my newfound fitness during these hot and rainy months where I may only have one chance every week or two to get outside.  I no longer look at doing indoor exercise for the sake of exercise alone.  That approach has seriously never worked for me, no matter how many scientific studies you throw at me proving the benefits of a good workout.  Instead, I have been telling myself that by exercising indoors, I am continuing to improve my body, which will in turn improve my riding once the weather becomes pleasant again.

It really is this simple.  I now view indoor exercise as training for my Trikke and bike instead of something that merely has to be done for its own sake.  If you want to become a better Trikker and you live somewhere that you can’t get out and ride it nearly every day, you owe it to yourself to find a likeable (or at least tolerable) indoor alternative.  You could pick from a myriad of activities: weight training, kettlebells, treadmills, stationary bikes, martial arts, yoga, zumba, kickboxing, etc…  You can work out at home or at the gym.  Just commit to doing something and commit to shifting your attitude towards seeing it as training for your preferred outdoor activities.  You’ll be amazed at how you will begin to eagerly embrace an exercise program that you may have previously turned your nose up at.

I’d love to hear your own experiences.  What types of indoor exercises do you enjoy?  And how has this ultimately helped your riding?